


Saw it Coming

by Floral-Foxes (stilalalinski)



Series: 4 times Loki lied +1 time he told the truth [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Don't take Loki's shit, Everyone's fucked up, Gen, Hulk likes space, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Thor has questions and Loki has lies, Val is really important
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 03:56:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13895730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stilalalinski/pseuds/Floral-Foxes
Summary: "What caused the antagonism between him and Valkyrie?"Thor had one question answered, now he wants another.But Loki is Loki after all, and Val is fed up with his shit.





	Saw it Coming

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo, I'm making this a series, apparently? I inspired myself with Thor's line of questioning in the first part so here goes a 4 Lies and 1 Truth series. But wait, 4 lies not 5? Uhh yeah, the me writing "more than you know" didn't plan for a 5 times +1 fic so oops! 
> 
> In case anyone is curious, this entire series was inspired by More Than You Know by Axwell, which is where the titles all come from.

_What caused the antagonism between him and Valkyrie?_

Thor appreciated Valkyrie’s presence more than he could express. She was a constant reality check without the biting edge of Loki’s words and too-wise wisdom of Heimdall. She was an outside perspective to the fucked up intricacies of Thor’s family and friends, grounding in a way he hadn’t expected.

It made him miss Sif.

 _(and Jane...but that was still too raw)_.

And while Thor regarded Banner as a close friend, there was only so much the human could understand about Asgard and their ways, their culture.

No, Valkyrie was a breath of fresh air, a relief from the tried and true ways of Aesir and Midgardian life. She paved her own path, regardless of who stood in her way.

Which is why Thor was surprised by the intense hatred between Loki and Valkyrie. Or rivalry--whatever they wanted to call it.

Loki was known for bending rules, straying outside the norm--a trait the two so obviously shared it baffled Thor. Though they may be stubborn and fickle with their loyalties, they would fight to the last breath for the few they did care for.

Traits that Thor found equally frustrating and admirable.

The tension had slightly ebbed from Valkyrie and Loki after their night of celebration the previous week, but Thor still heard more than his fair share of heated arguments between the two.

Getting them to work together on a project was like pulling teeth, like supervising a bunch of toddlers, and Banner had promptly opted out of any future involvement with the two when a debate almost turned violent and Hulk threatened to _pummel the puny god_ again.

 

Speaking of which--

 

“Hey, Big Guy,” Thor greeted Hulk warmly with a pat to his arm, hopping back when Hulk aimed a not-so-soft pat back.

“Friend Thor,” Hulk grunted with a nod.

The beast was sitting on the lookout deck staring into the void of space, expression drawn into what Thor figured to be confusion.

Much to the surprise of Banner, Hulk hadn’t stuck around too long after Ragnarok, retreating back into the frazzled scientist for a good solid week or two. To say Banner and Hulk were friends would be an overstatement, but they were slowly developing a sort of symbiotic relationship--something Banner had never thought possible. It was a daunting and tedious process, but the payoff was more than worth it.

So while most days it was Banner living with them on the ship, there were the occasional days Hulk decided he wanted out.

Apparently, this was one of those days.

“Looking for something?” Thor asked with a casual tilt of his head and settled next to his friend.

“Counting lights,” Hulk pointed a beefy finger at the distant twinkling of stars, tracing their patterns in the air. Thor switched between Hulk’s expression (not confusion--wonder) and the constellations he so carefully observed.

“You’re counting the stars? There are millions of them, Hulk,” Thor said carefully, not wanting to burst Hulk’s bubble of awe. Hulk bobbed his head but chose not to respond, much to Thor’s confusion.

“What made you decide to count stars?” Thor tried again. To attend to a task so idle and quiet...it was unlike the _raging fire_ within The Incredible Hulk.

“Puny God.”

_Ah. Loki._

“Said to be useful.”

Thor sighed and rubbed at his patched eye, feeling pressure building under the empty socket.

“...this would be useful to him why?”

“Map,” Hulk nodded again, seeming content with the answer.

_Goddammit Loki._

“And where might the puny god be now?” Thor asked through a tight smile.

Still focused on the cosmos, Hulk simply pointed down the hall towards the newly dubbed Throne Room.

“Gotcha. Well,” Thor stood up and brushed invisible dirt from his pants, “have fun with your...uh...counting,” he finished lamely and ambled off towards the hall.

Hulk grunted a goodbye and Thor shook his head fondly--trick or not, Hulk was clearly mesmerized by the surrounding universe.

 

* * *

 

 

Since the revelation of the true nature of Loki and the Grandmaster’s relationship, Thor had barely spoken to his brother outside of matters pertaining to the ship and their people. It frustrated Thor beyond belief to be so close to his brother and yet so far. Though he didn’t expect any heart-to-heart conversations, he still hoped Loki would eventually come to him to discuss what had been revealed.

But Loki was as tight-lipped as ever. Loki was... _Loki_.

Thor had approached the issue with Valkyrie who had shot him down with a curt _it’s not my place._

Which honestly baffled Thor because since when did Valkyrie care about Loki’s feelings about anything?

Thor was trying so hard to respect Loki’s boundaries but goddamn did he want to know more. He stayed true to his word, though, and kept the questions from his mouth, kept the _sentiment_ from his voice when addressing Loki.

All he ever seemed to do was chase after Loki and he was done with it.

If Loki truly meant to change, flip the script on their boring, predictable disagreements, then it was time for Loki to take the initiative

\-- Because Thor was fucking tired.

_He tried once. He tried and you called them imagined slights._

Thor scowled at the intrusive reminder--he knew he had wronged his brother. He was no longer the naive prince eager for war, no; he knew he played a role in Loki’s madness. It took two to make a relationship, though; and Thor couldn’t repair the damage all on his own.

He had hurt his brother, but Loki had repaid in kind with steel and blood.

Thoughts bouncing through his mind, Thor turned the corner to find Valkyrie and Loki on opposite sides of the Throne Room involved in a heated argument. From the corner of the room Heimdall impassively watched the two go at it. His golden eyes lifted when Thor entered, and he beckoned the King in with a ghost of a smile.

Thor nodded his own greeting at the Gatekeeper and slid passed Valkyrie and Loki unnoticed.

“What are they arguing about now?” He inquired warily.

With his mother and father physically gone, and Loki emotionally gone, Heimdall was now his closest confidant. He wasn’t Odin, nor did he try to be, but Heimdall offered bits of advice every now and again; though he mostly remained a comforting, albeit silent, friend for Thor to vent to.

“Our upcoming trip for resources,” Heimdall replied solemnly.

Thor narrowed his eye in confusion and decided to actually pay attention to the bickering pair, as much of a headache he knew it would give him.

“If we land with an army the citizens will automatically take us as a threat,” Valkyrie shouted with a flourish of her hand. “I thought you were supposed to the diplomatic one.”

“Of course,” Loki scoffed, “but if we have no protection and are attacked we’d lose potential resources.”

“And innocent lives,” Valkyrie added tersely.

“I figured that was implied,” Loki rolled his eyes in annoyance. Thor let them trade barbs for a couple seconds longer before deciding to speak up.

“If I may…”

Valkyrie and Loki jolted at Thor’s voice, finally noticing his presence for the first time.

“Brother, please tell the Valkyrie that travelling to an unknown planet, with no backup or soldiers, is a guaranteed disaster,” Loki drawled, narrowed eyes the only hint of anxiety towards Thor’s answer.

“And please, your majesty, tell the cretin that an army landing on foreign soil usually indicates hostility,” Valkyrie shot back with venom.

Thor looked helplessly at Heimdall who simply shrugged in the universal sign of _you deal with it_.

Thor huffed an exasperated sigh while Loki and Valkyrie waited for his answer impatiently.

“Does it have to be either or?” He finally settled on. The twist of Loki’s lips meant he had said the wrong thing, so Thor quickly hurried on.

“What I mean is--both of you are right in your own way; a full army would rouse suspicions, but no protection would also put us at a disadvantage should the situation turn dangerous,” he finished in one breath. Loki and Valkyrie stared at him in quiet contemplation, refusing to make eye contact with one another.

“Surely one of you must have suggested this,” Thor said and instantly knew they had not, as Loki’s eyes hardened into cold daggers and Valkyrie sniffed disdainfully.

“Perhaps if she were not so...abrasive...we could have come to some form of compromise,” Loki said cooly.

_Thor could throttle Loki._

“Abrasive?” Valkyrie laughed a harsh sound. “You’re impossible to work with--so fucking sure you’re always right, better than everyone around you--”

_Valkyrie looked one second away from throttling Loki._

“Forgive me for not trusting the judgement of someone who has spent the month wandering the ship in a drunken haze,” Loki snapped back, cruelty staining his tongue. “What have you even contributed to this vessel besides wasting our resources on pointless benders?”

Valkyrie’s mouth clamped shut with an audible click, expression so thunderous Thor was afraid he’d have to intervene.

“And who’s fault is it we’re on this ship in the first goddamn place?” She snarled. “You might have stolen my darkest memory, but if you think I can’t read you like a fucking book you’re mistaken. You reek of guilt,” she hissed before turning to Thor.

“Do what you want, I’m out of here,” she finished and turned on her heel to storm out of the room.

Thor wanted to chase after her, but Loki’s pinched expression and Valkyrie’s echoing _stole my darkest memory_ kept him rooted to the spot. It was in Loki’s minuscule tremors that Thor knew something had been revealed his brother wished to remain secret.

“What was she talking about, Loki?” Thor asked lowly, voice a dangerous timber. Loki began fidgeting with his fingers and--yup, there it was.

“What happened between you two on Sakaar?”

Noticing Thor’s pointed stare at his fingers, Loki stuffed his hands into his pockets and frowned.

“Merely an intense competition for the Grandmaster’s benefit,” he said smoothly.

_Lie._

“Anything else I should know about the Grandmaster’s _benefits_?” Thor asked snidely and bit his tongue, _hard_ , when Loki’s expression shuttered close.

_You really love putting your foot in your mouth, don’t you?_

“Loki--Brother...forgive me, that was cruel,” Thor breathed remorsefully.

A beat.

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Loki said plainly, mask so carefully blank Thor knew they had taken two steps back. A crash from the hallway reminded Thor of the original reason he was in this situation, and he muttered a quiet curse.

His callous words were a crack against his and Loki’s mending relationship, but there was no justification for Loki’s crass treatment of Valkyrie. And there was still the matter of stole my darkest memory.

“We have many things to discuss, brother,” Thor said in both apology and reprimand. When Loki didn’t reply Thor decided to take his leave and find his other distraught companion.

At the entrance Thor remembered the Hulk sitting on the deck and turned back to Loki.

“Why a map, by the way?”

Loki’s features smoothed into amusement as though the previous conversation had never happened.

_A mask._

“He finds stars interesting, I find him irritating and constantly in the way,” he shrugged. “He’s enjoying himself, no?”

Thor mulled the question over, picturing Hulk’s content silence as he traced the constellations.

“I guess, yeah.”

“Then no harm no foul,” Loki grinned cheekily and waggled his fingers at Thor in a clear dismissal.

Looking for no further arguments with his brother, Thor nodded his goodbye to Heimdall continued on his search for Valkyrie.

 

* * *

 

 

Thor’s first impulse was to check the bar and was pleasantly surprised when he didn’t find her there. He’d be lying if he said Valkyrie’s dependence on alcohol didn’t worry him, so her lack of presence at the bar was hopefully a good thing.

Instead he decided to backtrack and see if Hulk was still on the deck--he had pointed him in the right direction of Loki, perhaps he could do the same for Valkyrie.

Thor needn’t worry, however; when upon approaching he noticed a tiny figure perched next to Hulk.

“...and here I thought we were gaining some form of understanding,” Valkyrie’s exasperated mutterings reached Thor’s ears as he moved in closer.

“Puny God idiot,” Hulk confirmed with a grunt and decisive nod, Valkyrie huffed a laugh then straightened when she noticed Thor’s approach.

“I’ve had enough royal interaction for the day, so if you could just...not?” She deadpanned, rolling her eyes when Thor ignored her and sat down anyways.

“I’m sorry for Loki’s words,” Thor said in way of greeting. “It was uncalled for. You have done more than you know for our people.”

Valkyrie pursed her lips and turned her gaze to the stars beyond.

“You don’t have to apologize on behalf of your brother,” she sighed. “Besides, I’m a big girl, I can handle it,” she added gruffly.

“I am aware,” Thor smiled kindly, “but I wanted to anyways.”

Valkyrie’s gaze was sharp when it met Thor’s.

“Why do you continually tolerate him when he’s nothing but bitter and cruel?”

Hulk stirred uneasily at Valkyrie’s tone and she laid a soft hand on his arm in reconciliation, patting it comfortingly. Thor watched the two in silence, mind spinning her question over and over.

Why did he continually tolerate Loki?

“He’s my brother.”

“Doesn’t have to be,” Valkyrie bit back. She paused, re-considering her words. “That’s not fair, I guess...but the sentiment still stands,” she shrugged.

“It does,” Thor nodded, “but I know there’s still good in him and…” Thor trailed off and sighed into the vastness of space--it hurt speaking of Loki in this manner. No matter how often he had in the past it still stung remembering who his brother used to be, and who Loki was now.

Though--that was part of the problem, wasn’t it? Loki was changing, and whether Thor thought it good or bad he had to accept that his little brother was not the same kid he used to help sneak treats out of the kitchen with. Loki was his own man, and Thor could not, did not want, to control him.

“He’s my brother and I love him,” he finally settled on.

“Even if he surprise stabs you as a snake?” Valkyrie asked slyly.

“Especially then,” Thor laughed, and if it sounded wet Valkyrie was kind enough not to mention it.

 

“He’s a piece of shit,” Valkyrie mused, “but I understand him, I guess. In another life maybe I could have been just like him.”

“Val nothing like puny god!” Hulk roared passionately. Valkyrie smiled at her companion and winked. “

How so?” Thor asked intrigued.

“Revenge,” she said simply, smile waning. “I wanted revenge on Asgard, on _Odin_ , for taking everything from me…” she trailed off. “Maybe a different me would have attempted that.”

“But you didn’t,” Thor hedged.

“No,” Valkyrie laughed in self-deprecation. “Instead I drank myself stupid on Sakaar.”

“No one blames you for wanting to stay away,” Thor comforted quietly.

“Maybe. But maybe I could have helped, made some sort of difference, had I been on Asgard when everything--” Val broke off into a sigh. “Whatever, there’s no point looking back on what could-have-beens.”

Thor regarded Valkyrie’s solemn face and nodded in understanding.

“I think about that a lot,” he admitted to Valkyrie’s surprised look. “Maybe if I hadn’t been so bull-headed, so eager for war--maybe I wouldn’t have been cast out, maybe I could’ve been there for Loki when he discovered his true heritage.”

It was a thought that haunted him a lot, the idea of Loki being alone with his monstrous secret. But then again...had he not been cast out, not learned his lesson, who knows how he would’ve reacted to such a revelation. He hoped in his heart of hearts that he would’ve loved his brother no matter what, but he was such a fool back then…

“Stop,” Val’s voice interrupted Thor’s ruminations. “What did I literally just say about dwelling on the past?”

“That there's no point,” Thor grinned when Valkyrie punched his arm. He playfully shoved her back, and when she fell against the Hulk she decided to simply rest there, head pillowed by his giant bicep.

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think Loki is a lost cause,” she said dryly. “He can even be fun when he’s not busy being a huge dick.”

Thor grinned in spite of himself; it was one thing for himself to recognize Loki’s more favorable traits, but it warmed his heart to hear it from others.

“I miss him,” he admitted quietly.

“He’s still here,” Valkyrie offered as her eyes slid closed. “You just have to find him.”

_I’m trying_

_Please believe I’m trying._

“Thank you, Val,” Thor said earnestly. “For your company, advice, and just general everything.”

Valkyrie’s eyes popped open as she regarded Thor with a vulnerability he was not used to seeing.

“No reason to get sappy, your majesty, I’m simply along for the ride,” she said, joking tone falling flat.

“I’m serious, Val. Thank you.”

Valkyrie swallowed hard and glanced back to the stars, expression distant. “

It’s Brunnhilde…” she mumbled, “My name, that is...and...you’re welcome, I guess.”

“That’s a lovely name,” Thor smiled. “Thank you, Brunnhilde.”

Brunnhilde waved her hand lazily at Thor and the small group descended into a peaceful silence as they observed the galaxy. For several minutes no one said a word, and Thor thought Hulk might have even fallen asleep.

However, a thought was gnawing relentlessly at Thor’s brain, and he reluctantly decided to break the comfortable atmosphere with one last question.

“What did you mean when you said Loki stole your darkest memory?”

Brunnhilde sighed as if she had expected the question at some point, though she made no effort to move away.

“The Grandmaster tasked us in finding you and his Champion; obviously we both wanted to catch you first--for varying reasons, I’m sure.”

_"Merely an intense competition for the Grandmaster’s benefit."_

_So not entirely a lie, though not a full truth, either._

“So Loki mentioned,” Thor noted wryly and motioned for Brunnhilde to continue.

“Automatically we were at odds with each other. We had the same goal but one of us had to be faster than the other,” she said. “We got into a scuffle--” she paused when Thor snorted, “--no surprise there, I’m sure,” she grinned.

“He realized I was a Valkyrie, and in an obviously cheap move to disorient me, he did some magic-mojo thing that forced me to relive the battle with Hela all those years ago...” Brunnhilde trailed off, voice growing distant.

Thor felt himself shaking--Loki hadn’t often used such dark magic around him before, but he knew just how realistic those visions felt. He imagined having to relive his mother’s death and shuddered, anger rolling through him at Loki’s actions.

“I mean, I get it, honestly, it was a fight and one takes advantage of what they can during a fight,” Brunnhilde admitted with a shrug. “Doesn’t mean it didn’t suck though. Definitely soured my already pretty shit impression of him.”

“I will have words--” Thor began, voice growling dangerously. Brunnhilde raised a hand to cut him off.

“Leave it, Thor.”

“Brunnhilde--”

“Seriously,” she said and quirked a smile. “It’s okay. I’m okay. It hurt and it still hurts, but it made me realize how long I had been hiding from reality.”

Their eyes met and Thor saw nothing but calm acceptance in Brunnhilde’s expression.

“Maybe that’s what made decide to finally help you.”

“You can’t be trying to excuse--” Thor began incredulously.

“I’m not excusing shit,” Brunnhilde interrupted, “There’s no excuse, just explanation.” She paused as if considering her next words carefully. “Mind magic doesn’t work one way, either,” she started slowly. “I caught a glimpse of his mind. It was…”

“It was what?” Thor asked nervously. He had an idea of what went on in Loki’s mind, and he wasn’t sure he wanted his fears confirmed.

“When you stare at the abyss, the abyss stares back.”

“Val--I don’t understand, what does that…?” Thor stumbled, unsure of how to interpret Brunnhilde’s cryptic statement.

Brunnhilde shook herself and blinked a couple of times as if coming back from somewhere far away.

“That’s something you’ll have to ask him,” she admitted regretfully.

“He won’t talk to me about anything personal,” Thor anguished.

“Maybe not right now,” Brunnhilde agreed, “but he will. I think he needs to.”

Questions and answers, answers leading to more questions; it was a never ending cycle.

Thor sighed in resignation and Brunnhilde smiled kindly at him.

“I know that’s not what you want to hear, but things will be okay.”

She pushed herself off of the dozing Hulk and stretched her arms high above her head. A huge yawn masked her features as she took one final glance at the space beyond them.

“You’ve had thousands of years of brotherhood,” she added with a significant look at Thor. “Things will be okay.”

Thor dropped his gaze to the floor, mind spinning with the new information, but grateful for Brunnhilde’s presence.

“Alright, enough moping,” she clapped suddenly, startling the Hulk awake. “I’ve been sober long enough, let’s get some food and drink,” she said and held a hand out to Thor.

“Drinks sound excellent right about now,” Thor grinned and took the offered hand.

“Hulk come, too,” Hulk shouted in excitement.

“Sure,” Brunnhilde laughed, “I don’t know if we’ll have enough alcohol for you, Big Guy, but what the fuck, why not?”

The trio stumbled their way off the deck and headed towards the empty bar, oblivious to the figure curled in the shadowed corner of the room, green eyes aimed at the stars.

**Author's Note:**

> Holy shit Thanos hasn't ruined everything yet.


End file.
